NNPP denies alliance with Tinubu, explains conflict between Shekarau, Kwankwaso

The run-up to the 2023 elections keeps throwing up more intrigues and subplots after the reports of an alliance between Rabiu Kwankwaso, the presidential candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party,m (NNPP) and the candidate of the All Progressive Congress (APC) Bola Tinubu.

However, a refutation was issued on Tuesday by Ladipo Johnson, a spokesman for the Presidential Campaign of the NNPP, who denied the emergence of such an alliance.

Johnson spoke when he was featured as a guest on Channels Television’s breakfast show, Sunrise Daily.

When asked to respond to reports that Kwankwaso was working for Tinubu, Johnson said, “He is not working for Tinubu. Senator Kwankwaso is much more qualified for the post; he is not working for Tinubu.”

Johnson also clarified the dispute between Kwankwaso and Shekarau.

He added that Ibrahim Shekarau, the senator for Kano Central who switched from the NNPP to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Monday after joining Kwankwaso’s camp in May, was not betrayed by Kwankwaso.

Shekarau had demanded specific NNPP elective seats in the Kano State House of Assembly and the Federal House of Representatives, but Johnson claimed that because tickets had been sold and primary elections held to fill such nominations, Shekarau was unable to obtain them.

He said, “I will just give a brief background. When Shekarau was pushed out by the APC, the Court of Appeal said the structure belongs to (Governor Abdullahi) Ganduje. People reached out to or I think he reached out.

“When they (Kwankwaso and Shekarau) were coming together, there was an agreement and we both travelled to Kano from Abuja to announce everything.

“Apparently, tickets have been bought and everything and the distinguished senator pulled out. Next thing, Ganduje was in his (Shekarau’s) house. I think a day or a few days after, Asiwaju Tinubu sent him a jet and he was in Lagos as well.

Read also:Borno Gov orders agency to unseal Kwankwaso’s NNPP office in the state

“He came in and he had some members in this house who were easily accommodated but the problem I think was that he demanded about 31 seats in the House of Assembly out of about 40 and some seats in the House of Reps and he was told that people had bought their forms and things like that.”

“I will not say that he (Kwankwaso) made a promise that he didn’t keep.”

Meanwhile, Shekarau has explained why he dumped the New Nigerian Peoples Party (NNPP) for the People’s Democratic Party.

Shekarau, who was received back to the PDP at a ceremony in Kano on Monday, said the decision to return to the party was informed by the final outcome of a committee formed by his supporters.

“Our political ideology as a group is moved by our commitment to fairness and justice to all. Anywhere we move to and there is no fairness and justice, me and my supporters move along,” he said.

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